Dreamweaver
by GinTsuki
Summary: In which Chat Noir and Hawk Moth have more in common than they realize; a strange figure arrives in Paris to chase down a powerful akuma; Ladybug and Chat Noir's perfect duo is put to the ultimate test; and the answer to what secrets Tikki and Plagg been keeping from Adrien and Marinette are answered.
1. Flambé

Chapter One  
 **Flambé**

* * *

From the top of the Panthéon, Ladybug watched a good portion of Paris shimmer with heat and smoke. Flames were spattered everywhere. People screamed, clutching their loved ones while avoiding the streets. Most hid from the fires and the strange woman that had caused them, but some, and Ladybug was certain Ayla was among them, stayed for the action. Normally Ladybug wouldn't mind so much, but this villain seemed more dangerous than the others and Chat Noir was taking a long time to provide some much needed assistance.

Every time Ladybug went to help, the smoke or the temperature forced her back. The best she could do was force Flambé to follow her somewhere she couldn't hurt anyone. The Panthéon seemed like the best bet - nothing really flammable here.

From the smoke below the Eiffel Tower Ladybug's newest opponent emerged. She was dressed in a skintight suit with a gradient of red and orange. Her hair flickered like fire, creating a deadly halo around her head. The only accessories visible were an apron and a saucepan - the latter producing fireballs Ladybug had yet to deal with. It was likely where the akuma was, so Ladybug had been eyeing it all fight. Her lucky charm gifted her with a set of matches, however Ladybug had yet to find any use for such a ironic item.

Flambé looked up, spotting her target in the distance. She leapt towards the Pantheon with superhuman speed. Ladybug yelled and scrambled to get some distance by climbing to the uppermost portion the the spire. Up higher, she to get less backlash from any missed fireballs.

"Ladybug ladybug, fly away home…" Flambé cackled as she threw out her arms and caused a chain of fire to twist about in the air. It encircled the spire Ladybug clung to, trapping her within. "Your house is on fire and your children are alone…!"

From the sidelines a familiar figure arrived, his voice attracting Ladybug's attention. "Well, that's the stuff of nightmares." Chat Noir pounced up, landing neatly outside of the circle of flame. "Creepy nursery rhymes? This one really is a villain!"

Ladybug let out a sigh of relief and smiled at her partner. Without hesitation she jumped straight up, as high as she could go. Chat Noir took the cue. His own leap was in tandem with hers. He leapt diagonally, and since he could get more power out of his jumps, their combined momentum barely carried them clear of the fire. They landed neatly on the edge of the roof, Ladybug safe in his arms.

"Is it hot in here, or is it just you?" Chat Noir teased, grinning ear to ear since he grabbed Ladybug bridal style and she had yet to move. She had been thinking hard about how to use the matches, but nothing was coming to mind. Now that Chat Noir was being flirty, Ladybug snapped out of it and rolled her eyes. A hint of a smile tugged at her lips despite the circumstance. If her partner could still crack jokes, then perhaps their situation was not as dire as she thought.

Ladybug pushed the Chat Noir's face with her hand before getting to her feet. She decided to think out loud so that Chat Noir could start helping her out. "I can't capture Flambé. I tried, she just burned through my wire…"

The cat nodded, crossing his arms to assess the situation.

"Lucky charm?" he suggested. Though out of the corner of his eye, Chat Noir noticed the blip of one of Ladybug's dots fading on her earrings. She must have already used a lot of her energy. They didn't have long to take this villain out.

Ladybug held up her pack of polka-dotted matches. "They say fight fire with fire, but I have no idea how." She said glumly.

The Chat Noir smiled optimistically, "You'll think of something." He patted her on the back just as another stream of fire came their way. Chat Noir saw it coming and used his current grip on Ladybug's shoulder to throw her off the roof in time to dodge. He then went to follow, but the flame caught him in the chest, sending him into an uncontrolled free fall.

Ladybug saw him topple just as she rolled to recover from her own hard landing. With reflexes borne from fear of losing her friend, she shot out her yo-yo to send his body flying into hers. She hoped to soften the impact, but really just transferred the force of it to herself. Both of them skidded on the paved stone and stopped only when hitting an adjacent wall. Wincing, Ladybug shook her head and let out a groan. Then she felt the weight of Chat Noir and remembered the fire hitting him. Frantically she turned her partner over to look at the damage despite the pain in her own back and backside. He looked dazed, his eyes slowly opening and looking around till they met hers. "Meouch."

He was okay! Their suits must be fire proof, thank goodness. Though his face and neck looked red and sooty. He was heavy on her legs and Flambé wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to kick them while they were down.

"Get-up! She's coming back this way!" She started to drum on his chest in panic.

The cat rolled off Ladybug and spryly got to his feet. He casually extended a hand to help her up while staring the the saucepan readying another round of fire. "Out of the frying pan and into the- WHOA!" His quip was cut short as a spiral of particularly nasty looking fire launched at them. So instead of waiting for Ladybug to grab his hand, he chose to snatch her by the wrist and take off running. Ladybug was dragged a few paces before she steadied herself and shook off his hand. They jogged side by side, desperate for some sort of plan.

"We can't lead her where there are people!" The heroine reminded the cat as they looked for someplace to hide. Another dot on Ladybug's earrings disappeared and she was starting to get hysterical. They ran down a street of blown up cars, glad to see no burnt-up husks of people. There were a line of police cars about three blocks down.

"In here!" Chat Noir broke off from their duo and ran into an office building. The doors were blackened from an earlier skirmish. Ladybug followed, looking over her shoulder at Flambé gliding at terrifying speeds behind them. Chat Noir slammed the doors buying themselves some time. He smiled nervously at Ladybug, then and raced to the emergency staircase.

"I don't think fighting her in an enclosed space is a good idea!" Ladybug said as she chased his tail up the stairs, panting with the effort. Another dot disappeared from her earrings and she stopped in the stairwell. Her breath coming in sharp gasps from all the smoke she inhaled during the initial bouts with Flambé. "Go on without me! I need to change back…" she looked to the door on her right. Through the frosted glass it looked like some sort of office.

Chat Noir stopped a flight of stairs up from her and looked down across the set of railings. "You're not fire proof without your costume! I can't just leave you. You need protection you while you're vulnerable." He ran back down to meet her but she shook her head and took a step back clutching the matches.

"I'll be fine. I have a plan… but I need you to distract her." She pleaded, her eyes reflecting her sudden confidence. Despite her assuredness she could tell that her partner was struggling with the decision to leave her. It was almost endearing.

"I won't even look, you could hide in a box or something… just don't go off on your-"

The door below them burst open, a hellish whirl of fire climbed up the stairs cutting the decision short. Their eyes met and he nodded reluctantly, allowing Ladybug to throw herself at the nearest door while he yelled down at Flambé.

"Hey! Didn't anyone tell you not to play with fire?" He flapped his hands around his face, wiggled suggestively in an attempt to taunt her. It seemed to work since the cat had to leap up several sets of stairs to avoid becoming roasted.

Meanwhile, Marinette put as much distance between herself and the stairwell as she could by running through the office she found herself in. It was a maze of cubicles. She chose to huddle under a desk nearest the windows and closed her eyes to think. Tikki hovered, her energy nearly depleted. "What was the plan you had?"

Marinette snapped her eyes open and looked to the matches in her hand, only they were no longer there. She flapped her fingers dumbly as if the motion could bring them back. "Oh no! I forgot…!" She was such an idiot. Of course the charm would disappear when she changed back if she didn't use it. Clumsily, Marinette crawled out from under the desk and started to rifle through any unlocked drawers. She found a chocolate bar in one of them and threw it over for Tikki. After a couple more minutes of desperate searching, she found what she was looking for - a lighter. Perfect. She clambered on top of a messy desk, scattering paper and pens everywhere. Once steady, she flung back the lid of the zippo she found and heard it spark. The tiny flame licked at the sprinkler she held it to. At first Marinette didn't think it was going to work. But after a few moments an alarm rang out and the sprinklers activated, dousing everything in the room with stagnant water.

Chat Noir was almost at the roof when the alarm sounded. He had destroyed two sets of stairways on the climb towards the roof, but nothing slowed Flambé down for long. Stopping to look over his shoulder, he saw that Flambé was right behind him. There was a fireball in her pan and a malicious glint in her eye. Looks like he was going to see just how fire-proof he really was. He made to leap at her, claws raised for dealing some damage while taking the hit.

A sprinkler was practically in Flambé's face when it started blasting her with water. The cat dropped mid-leap and laughed in relief at how perfect the timing was. It must have been his lucky Ladybug, where ever she was.

Flambé screeched in horror and put the pan up to protect her face but the water was getting everywhere, dousing her hair and making her huddle to avoid the most of the synthetic rain. Chat Noir grabbed the sauce pan while she was distracted and ran back down the stairs to find Ladybug. He had yet to find a method to purify the akuma without her.

The door his partner went through was unscathed, but the moment he burst into the office was the same moment a newly transformed Ladybug was trying to leave. The door flung her back into a cubicle wall where she fell on her already sore backside.

"Aah! Sorry!" The cat awkwardly babbled, "I have the saucepan! Flambé is upstairs, we better hurry." He handed it to her while she picked herself up from the floor. There was a small note of disappoint in his voice. He still didn't know who Ladybug really was. Part of him hoped he might have found out by bursting in on her when she wasn't prepared.

Ladybug dusted the soot off her butt and took the pan. Her hair was soaking wet. Before anything else terrible could happen she broke the pan over her knee. The akuma fluttered out of it trying to escape, but not before Ladybug pulled out her yo-yo and purified it with a swing. She watched the crisp white butterfly retreat out of an open window before frowning at her sudden dilemma. "My lucky charm disappeared. How do I reverse all of this damage?"

"Maybe you can just throw your yo-yo upwards and shout like you usually do?" Chat Noir suggested, with a teasing imitation of her usual final pose.

Well, it was worth a try.

Ladybug whipped her yo-yo up in an arc and shouted, "Miraculous Ladybug!" It sparkled in the air for a long minute while the city was swept clean of the flames and soot that plagued it. Once that was over Chat Noir declared, "Mission accomplished!" and went to fist bump Ladybug, smiling fondly as she returned the action. They really did make a great team.

"Looks like it's time for your exit." She grinned, noticing the missing dots on his ring. Flambé was surprisingly difficult to control without the cat's help. She didn't want to admit it, but she was incredibly grateful for his back-up time and time again.

Chat Noir winked at Ladybug, "I could go, unless you want to see the man behind the mask."

She smirked, "The boy behind the mask you mean." She put her yo-yo back on her hip and looked around at the now dry office, only facing her partner when he opted to continue talking rather than take his leave. As usual.

"I bet I'm older than you are." He leaned in, just a little closer than he knew was comfortable for her. She stared him down, the smirk still on her lips. "I'm older, and definitely more mature."

His grin widened, "Want to put it to the test?"

She pushed her palm against his chest to make him back up, then walked past him. "And ruin this perfect partnership? Nah. I think I'll give you your privacy - since you seem so reluctant to take it." With that she ran down the stairs, waving behind her as she went. The cat watched her disappear and frowned. It was all fun and games holding these secrets from each other… but did they really need to? Would they ever really know each other? He loved her. Trusted her. He knew she trusted him equally, so why couldn't they take the next step? Love aside, it might even be better for them during long fights not to have to worry about keeping their identities secret.

His alter ego fell, revealing his regular self again. Plagg rested on his shoulder preening his tail. "You try so hard, and still get nowhere. I wonder if that is what Hawk moth feels?" Adrian ignored his friend's teasing and slowly walked down the steps, wondering about Ladybug.

* * *

In the darkness Hawk moth shook with rage. This was yet another failure among so many others. It didn't even feel close this time. At this rate he would never get his hands on their Miraculous. His moths lowered to the ground, sensing their master's mood.

Like warm molasses, the shadows behind Hawk moth shifted, and a chill ran up the villain's spine. Suddenly he knew he wasn't alone - and he was always alone. This was his private place. No one asides himself knew about it.

A voice came from the shadows all around him.

"I don't think your heart is really in this." It was a feminine tone. It wasn't as scary as he expected; more like a rebellious child - worry and condescension all mixed together. The most disconcerting part about this was the fact it sounded familiar to him. He linked the voice with a slight figure that stepped out from the edges of Hawk moth's private chamber. She wore a skin-suit of white with a shaped eye-mask obscuring her identity. Hovering by her shoulder was a tiny striped yellow miraculous with its eyes closed. It made his heart pound looking at it. The girl noticed his interest, light brown hair falling over her shoulders as she glanced at her miraculous.

"You're trying to collect them. I know why. Do you know how I know?" She circled him, like a school teacher waiting for an answer.

Hawk moth narrowed his eyes. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

She smirked, it wasn't an expression that fitted her cherubic face. "I'm a sort of an architect. Though lately more of a judge I suppose." She put a finger to her contemplative lips and looked to her miraculous. "What would you say I am Sunaa?"

The miraculous didn't open its eyes. "Dreamweaver."

She smiled cruelly. "You don't remember yours do you? The dreams? But I was there. I see your desires. They're sort of sweet in a desperate willing-to-do-anything sort of way. Yet, you need ALL the miraculous to realize your dream. Including mine." She sighed, "That's a problem really. I don't like to give up my power so easily… and as you've seen it's difficult to take a miraculous."

Hawk moth watched the girl, not sure of what to do. His own power might be enough to overwhelm this newcomer, but she was there for a purpose, and it didn't seem like it was for his destruction.

He didn't like to waste time, so he got to the point. "Why are you here?"

"I'm going to help you." She tilted her head to better see his reaction.

"Why?" It was more of a statement than a question. Despite the situation Hawk moth refused to remove the hardness of his tone. He was the one in control here no matter what this little girl thought.

She smiled widely, though there was an innocence there that made Hawk moth more uncomfortable than reassured. "Because I want to see if your dream is even possible. Because if it is, I have a similar one… and it would be easier to take it from you than Ladybug and Chat Noir."

The man gritted his teeth. "Are you so sure?" The moths beneath them stirred. The collective fluttering of their wings made a threatening hum.

The girl closed her eyes, the smile slowing fading from her lips. "Yes. You understand me better than anyone. You know what one is willing to do to get back something that was taken from them." Her face tilted away, casting shadows across half of it. "There are others who feel this way too."

There was a pregnant pause before realization dawned and Hawk Moth relaxed. The moths hushed their movements.

"You and I are the same." His words sounded uncertain, but willing to contemplate an alliance.

She inclined her head, confirming the statement. "Though from today we use my methods."

"Which are?" He looked interested, though somewhat guarded.

"We are not the only ones who would do anything for the ones we love." A bitterness twisted into the girl's words. "Let me show you how to get a miraculous."


	2. Miracles

Chapter 2  
 **Miracles**

* * *

The moonlight tinted the Agreste mansion an eerie lilac. A figure ran across the drive - a red and black blur that moved in fits as if her appearance were tied to the luminescence of a strobe light. Chat Noir followed it closely, trying to grab at the apparitions to stop their movement. No amount of shouting would deter her either, and every time he came close she seemed further away. Shadows and light played across her, and it was then Chat Noir realized he was in a nightmare.

He slowed his pace. Ladybug slowed hers and turned around, her back pressing against the doors to his house, opening them with a mere touch. Her face held a frozen expression - like a doll's. If this was a nightmare, why wasn't he waking up?

"Who are you?"

He realized too late that he was Chat Noir no longer, but stripped down to just Adrien - ordinary except for the last name that granted him so much. His appearance didn't matter now though. This was just a dream. He knew that now, but he still couldn't stop himself from reaching out a hand to touch this strange Ladybug's shoulder. She simply smiled and turned away from him, walking towards the staircase that lead to the living areas of his home.

"Ladybug!" Adrien called, but he couldn't move. Why was she here? She turned her face, her eyes hidden from his perspective.

"Do you really want to know?" She said, voice ghost-like, echoing more than it should. There was a sadness there that made Adrien uncomfortable. Was he being tested? He hesitated in answering, but couldn't help himself in the end.

"Yes. Tell me who you are."

She removed her mask and cast it aside before turning to face him. It was Chloé Bourgeois. She ran a hand through her blonde hair and shifted her weight to one hip, posing for Adrien's benefit. Adrien stood there stunned before shaking his head in disbelief. "No. It can't be you, you fought Ladybug. You can't be both Antibug and Ladybug."

Her face shimmered and became that of his best friend Nino. This made Adrien take a step back and laugh nervously. What a twisted dream this was! None of this was real. He pinched himself, but felt nothing.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Nino said, taking a step forward before the face changed yet again into one that stopped his heart. Before him was a woman with soft honey-coloured hair and green eyes that mirrored Adrien's own. "Be careful for what you wish for."

Adrien was frozen, not understanding what was happening. This couldn't be possible. "Maman?"

She disappeared and reappeared at the top of the stairs, this time dressed in her usual evening wear - the last thing his young mind remembered seeing her wear. Adrien ran up the stairs to meet her, but was stopped by the sight of another figure moving out from behind his mother. She floated like a spirit, swathes of gauzy veils fanning out behind every movement she made. Her body was in a skin-tight suit of scaled white with an odd shaped half-mask obscuring her identity. What stood out most was the diamond shaped jewel on her forehead with white flecks within. Adrien briefly wondered it houseed an akuma, but he wasn't certain Hawk moth was behind this. This girl held no malice towards him and this was most certainly a dream.

As if she were tumbling through water, the girl flipped from the stairs and hovered before Adrien. The fabrics moved with her like the tails of an goldfish. The way she smiled unnerved him.

"It's you… you're creating all of this…" Adrien spoke slowly, not quite believing his own words - but it was the only thing that made sense.

The girl tilted her head, and though she was smiling, it didn't quite meet her orange tinted eyes. "You are more perceptive than most your age." She reached out a hand to touch Adrien's face. "I am Dreamweaver."

Adrien took a step back, his eyes flitting momentarily to his mother. She stood like a wax sculpture, staring blankly across the foyer. Dreamweaver followed his gaze and smiled softly. Her body moved easily in the air. Adrien couldn't help but notice a large orange diamond on her back, the same shape as the jewel on her forehead.

"It is hard losing someone you love." She looked to him again, moving forward to close the gap between them. Adrien found he couldn't retreat under that stare. Dreamweaver placed a hand under his chin, tilting his head upwards towards hers. "You have the power to bring her back."

Adrien tried to look away, but he was still frozen by her. Instead he tried to ignore her words. Distract her. He needed more time to focus on the situation. "You have a Miraculous."

She sighed, running her fingers down his cheek. "As do you." Her eyes fell, the sadness within more striking now. "Only yours cannot protect you from mine." She leaned forward and kissed Adrien on the forehead. It burned with a bright orange light and radiated throughout his body. He let out a scream of pain as his head felt like it was being ripped to pieces. The next thing he knew he was sitting up straight and ripping the covers off of his body.

Adrien shivered in the morning air from his open window. He had been sweating as if feverish. He moved to the bathroom, holding a hand to his forehead. It was shocking to feel a normal temperature when it felt like his mind was ablaze. Adrien stared at himself in the mirror, focusing on his forehead - but there was nothing there. Why would there be?

He closed his eyes, trying to recall the nightmare he had, but nothing was coming to mind. That wasn't unusual, it was rare when he could recall a dream… but never had something woke him up like this.

Plagg bobbed up beside Adrien, a concerned expression on his face. "Are you feeling all right? You didn't look like you slept well." The question came as a surprise. Normally the first thing out of Plagg's mouth was something about cheese. Adrien put a hand beneath his kwami and frowned.

"I think I had a bad dream, but I can't quite remember it." His brow knitted as he strained to think about it. "It shouldn't bother me this much, but I feel like there was something important…"

Plagg shrugged, disinterested. "You better move faster if you don't want to be late for school." This made Adrien lean back to see the clock in his room. Plagg was right, he was running behind schedule. He took a quick shower and prepared for the day, leaving all thoughts of the dream behind for now.

* * *

First class was always the sciences. Adrien didn't mind, but almost everyone else had their heads down trying to shake the morning grogginess away. It was raining outside and the sound was putting everyone to sleep. Nino was practically drooling on his open notebook, Chloé had her eyes closed with her head propped up by one arm and Sabrina was struggling to take detailed notes for the both of them. Ms. Mendeleiev was busy writing on the chalkboard with her back turned, so Adrien looked over his shoulder at the rest of the class.

Marinette was doodling in her sketchbook, while Ayla was quietly chatting to her about the dream she had last night.

"Then, just as I sat down with Ladybug, this orange and white fish came swimming though. It was so weird that I just woke up. I didn't even get to start the interview. I wonder what it means?"

Marinette put her pen to her lips as she thought, "Maybe you ate fish too close to bedtime?" Her words were groggy; like the others she looked like she would rather be in a warm bed than in a cold classroom.

Ayla shrugged, then noticed Adrien's attention. "What do you think Adrien?" She whispered a little louder, smiling slyly.

Her story about the fish seemed to tug at something deep in Adrien's mind. Did he dream about a fish too? "I had a weird dream last night too… though I can't remember it."

He didn't notice Marinette freeze up beside Ayla, looking like she was having a miniature meltdown. "D-dreams are neat! Mine had you… user… usernames and passwords… in it." She blurted out, though a little too loudly because Ms. Mendeleiev turned around and stared at the three of them over her glasses. "I hope your conversations are on the topic at hand."

The rest of the class seemed to come to attention at her words and look busy. Adrien, Marinette and Ayla all smiled a little too rigidly as they continued their schoolwork to ward away the awkwardness. Once the teacher's back was turned Marinette hid behind her notebook a bright shade of crimson.

Adrien woke up his friend Nino when class ended and told him about Ayla's fish dream to strike a conversation that the love-struck boy wouldn't yawn though. Anything about Ayla seemed to pull Nino into an active mood.

"We must be made for each other, I had a dream about fish too! A talking fish." He laughed at the expression on Adrien's face then adopted the look of a philosopher. "I wonder if soul mates ever share dreams."

Chloé just happened to be wandering by as they made their way to next class, and stopped at Nino's words. "I had a dream about Adrien last night!" She batted her eyes and clutched at Adrien's arm. "We were dancing together in a ballroom. I looked stunning!"

Before he could stop himself Adrien asked, "Was there a fish there too?"

Chloé looked confused, "A fish? Of course not! Why would there be a fish?" She examined Adrien, wondering where such a strange question came from before moving onto her seat in Ms. Bustier's class. The rest of the day was taken up with studies. All talk about fish was left behind.

It wasn't until that night, when Adrien was preparing for bed when the thought returned to him. He was tired from his fencing lessons, his muscles aching dully, when Plagg sat on his chest and tapped him affectionately. "You better sleep better tonight. If Chat Noir is needed you'll make us look bad."

Adrien laughed darkly as he rolled onto his side, sending Plagg sliding to the edge of the bed, "Why are you always more caring after your evening snack?".

Plagg mocked looking offended, "I always care about my supplier! Err… friend!"

This made Adrien stick his tongue out at his kwami before closing his eyes. It seemed like his head just hit the pillow when he found himself facing the Dreamweaver again. This time she stood several paces away, watching him intently. All memory of her from the previous night flooded back to him and he felt fear creep into his thoughts. He looked around, trying to get his bearings.

Her smile returned. "Hello again."

"Get out of my head!" What was it that allowed her to be here? Adrien clenched his fists, trying to shake the feeling of being violated. He couldn't run from her, not unless he woke up. Was this going to happen every night until she got whatever she wanted from him?

Dreamweaver said nothing, her veils swirling about despite there being no breeze. The two of them simply stared at one another from within an overgrown garden. Various chipped statues covered in ivy tilted and leaned towards each other. Thick cobbled walls surrounded them wherever Adrien looked. Every moment he spent in the garden made him feel more and more powerless.

"What do you want from me?"

This earned him a response. "A trade. Your greatest desire for your Miraculous."

Adrien wearily ran a hand down his face. So she was just another Hawk moth with complicated powers. Great. If only Ladybug could help him out with her… but that was impossible. When he woke up he was going to have to warn her about Dreamweaver. That was… if he remembered.

"No deal. I'm using it to protect innocent people from villains like you. I wouldn't trade my Miraculous for anything."

"Are you sure? What if I told you that you wouldn't need to fight anymore. That Paris - the whole world - would be safe without you." There was a genuineness to her words that attracted Adrien; yet lingering distrust made him dismiss it.

"I'm enjoying being Chat Noir, even in a world without Hawk moth I can still help people."

Dreamweaver nodded in understanding, "I suppose, but is being a superhero your deepest desire? What about other things?" In her hand appeared Ladybug's mask. The action made Adrien narrow his eyes.

"Ladybug is my own business. You leave her alone!" He wondered if he resisted her enough, would Dreamweaver go after Ladybug instead? Tempt her through dreams with revealing his identity? He smiled to himself. That wouldn't be enough to persuade Ladybug to yield her powers. If he could resist her, then so could she.

"I know who she is. I could tell you." She held out the mask. "All you would need to do is listen. Hear me out."

"My answer is still no."

The garden darkened and the statues moved, faces contorting to frown at Adrien. He grew smaller in this garden, the vines and weeds coming alive and choking out the light. Dreamweaver moved closer, cruelty in her expression.

"Stubborn fool! I offer you dreams greater than anything you can imagine and you refuse without a thought! I could trap you in eternal nightmare night after night till you are so afraid of closing your eyes you accept madness instead! You repay my kindness with deafness!" Her lips could barely dam the anger within.

Adrien tripped in an attempt to gain more distance between him and Dreamweaver, but the foliage curled about his limbs and prevented his escape. His heart was pounding in his chest. "Stop! Stop this!" Could she kill him here? In his own mind?

The girl took a deep breath and closed her eyes, everything stopped moving. Adrien noticed one of the flecks of the jewel on her forehead disappeared. So that is where her miraculous was! Like him she had time constraints. Adrien could use that to his advantage.

"I know what you desire Chat Noir… and it isn't a mask. You want a family. Love. I understand that… it is my desire too." The vines fell away and Adrien got to his feet. He wondering if this was some sort of trick. He wasn't going to fall for good cop, bad cop type shenanigans.

"Let me wake up." He demanded, feeling more confident now that he sensed weakness.

The dreamscape changed and Adrien was standing in his kitchen, his mother rummaging through their fridge looking for something. He looked at his hands, they were smaller than he remembered. His mother pulled out a bowl of cherries and a block of butter before starting to organize some baking supplies on the counter.

"Maman?" He called, his breath catching as she looked towards the sound of his voice.

"It's not too difficult Adrien, but if you're having second thoughts I could just make it myself." She smiled, Adrien had almost forgotten what it looked like. This was the day of their elementary school bake sale. Adrien had tried to make a pie on his own, but utterly ruined it as well as made a mess out of the kitchen. His mother was trying to cover for him before his father found out.

"No, I'll help!" He said, eager to hear more of her voice. He moved towards her, just to touch her - to make sure she was real. As soon as his fingers brushed her sweater she disappeared.

"Are you sure you want to wake up?" Dreamweaver stood next to him in the kitchen. Her voice was quiet, even a fraction empathetic. She put a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort. "You don't know the full power of the miraculous Chat Noir. It can make this reality." Desperate to make Adrien understand she tightened the grip on his shoulder. "The Miraculous… they have the power to create Miracles; at the cost of giving up your right to bear them. Just ask your kwami. Did you think you were the first to bear the title 'Chat Noir'? The first to give it up for something greater?" There was one white dot on her orange forehead jewel left, soon he would wake up.

Adrien tried to keep up with her words. "What does this have to do with my mother? Why are you torturing me like this?" His voice shook as he stared blankly at the bowl of cherries his mother had been holding. He felt his eyes well up but he refused to cry in front of this strange enemy.

Dreamweaver let out an exasperated sigh and moved in front of Adrien. She cupped his face in her hands. "Ask your Kwami. Think about everything I told you. Wake up and try to remember." She kissed his forehead yet again - this time it was less painful. "We will talk again soon."


	3. Resurrection

Chapter Three  
 **Resurrection**

* * *

It was 2am and the wind was starting to pick-up. Marinette shifted in her sleep as the whistling of her slightly open window slowly dragged her out of a dream. She tried to return to the illusions of Adrien and the steamy romance she longed for, but the whistling won her attention. Bleary eyed she sat up and rubbed her face, grumbling with the effort of freeing herself from the covers. Once exposed to the chill of her room, she demonstrated a shuffling gait normally reserved for zombie impressions, closed her window and yawned widely. She was on her way back to throw herself under still warm blankets when something caught her eye.

Tikki was missing from where she normally rested. Marinette woke up a bit more in curiosity, a quick glance at the clock making her question whether this was an important enough issue to miss sleep over. "Tikki?" She whispered as loud as she could without risking waking her parents, but only silence answered.

She lifted the trapdoor leading down to the rest of the house and poked her head out. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except for how spooky it all seemed in the dead of night. The wind was shifting things outside the windows, creating noises that taunted the imagination. Slowly she set the door back down and frowned, her head not quite alert enough to figure out her next move. In the quiet, Marinette could hear something moving about on the upper balcony. She hesitated going up there, thinking about the cold and the low probability of it being Tikki; but relented thinking that maybe she had been clumsy and locked her friend out before getting ready for bed. The girl hastily pulled on a housecoat and made to go outside, but as soon as she touched her hand to the doorknob she heard a hushed shout and something clatter. Opening it with caution, Marinette peeked out, spotting nothing strange. "Tikki?" She called, the wind taking her words and making her repeat herself a little louder.

Her little kwami appeared before her, looking more serious than anything. "Marinette! Why aren't you sleeping?"

This made Marinette confused, "I was looking for you." If she had locked Tikki outside she would be angry by now. Something else was going on. "What are you doing out here?" The girl took another look around but still didn't see anything. The sky was dark and it looked like it was about to rain.

Tikki frowned. "I was talking to an old friend. I'm afraid they didn't have very good news." The little creature's antenna were drooping and she was resting on the top of a plant. It reminded Marinette of a fairy she had seen in one of her old books. Marinette went to scoop the kwami up, but Tikki picked herself up and hovered past Marinette's shoulder, allowing her to close the door to warm the room back up. Marinette followed with more questions than answers.

"Tikki what do you mean by old friend? I thought I was the only person you knew?"

The creature sat down on Marinette's desk. "There is another kwami in Paris. They are tracking down a strange akuma that has wandered in from far away."

"WHAT!?" Marinette gasped, her voice too loud for two in the morning. She clapped a hand over her mouth and started to pace. "Another kwami? So there's another one of us in town? Are they nice? What is-? where are-? I didn't think that there were others…!" Her questions started falling over each other in an attempt to come out of her mouth first. Marinette picked up Tikki in her palm and stared at her intensely. "Tell me everything Tikki. Who is this new person? Why would Hawk Moth create an akuma from somewhere else to come here? It makes no sense."

Tikki lowered her eyes, "I didn't think that any of the others would come here, normally the other Miraculous work alone." She sighed, hesitant to say more. "There is a lot you don't know Marinette. You will get overwhelmed if I just tell you everything." She wrung her little hands and looked up at her friend. "Can this wait till morning?"

Marinette shook her head. "No Tikki. I can't sleep now knowing there's someone else doing my job. We should go out! Try to find the akuma before it hurts someone!" She went to the window, a second away from asking to transform before Tikki shook her head.

"You will not find her out there Marinette. Her abilities are difficult to combat. She attacks through dreams and is very powerful." Tikki hovered up to Marinette's face. "This akuma is unlike the ones you've faced before. This one is generated by a different Miraculous."

The girl blinked, not understanding. "Another… Miraculous? I thought only Hawk moth could create akuma. Is it the person you were talking to? It that why they're here?"

Tikki shook her head, "No, but she knows who made the akuma and what it wants."

"Can we help?" Marinette looked worried. "How is this other Miraculous tracking the akuma? What is it after?"

The creature sighed, "It is after you and Chat Noir. The same reason that Hawk Moth is after you. The akuma wants your Miraculous for itself."

"For itself? What about the Miraculous that made it?" Marinette wasn't quite following. Normally Hawk moth proposed a trade - but why would someone else make an akuma just to attack Ladybug and Chat Noir?

Tikki went to Marinette's bed and rested on a pillow. "I can't tell you everything… I'm sorry. You're still not ready." Never had Marinette seen her kwami so apologetic. "Usually Ladybug and Chat Noir are powerful enough to keep the other five in balance, but you're not yet fully matured into a full-fledged Ladybug. You are fast approaching that level, and I am extremely proud of you, but if any more Miraculous come to challenge you, I am terrified of losing you." Her eyes wavered, brimming with tears. Marinette softened and hugged her friend close to her chest.

"You're worried about me."

Tikki said nothing, afraid that if she opened her mouth once more she would tell her friend everything. Instead she buried her face into Marinette's pajamas, and hoped that everything would work out. She didn't want to damage the trust that they built between them.

* * *

The next day was far more uneventful than Marinette wanted it to be. Tikki's lips were sealed about everything and Marinette didn't want to push her too hard to talk; but it was difficult to focus on anything with the idea of another Miraculous being in town. Who was it? What sort of person were they - would they work with her and Chat Noir? Were they older? Were they French? Were they a superhero back home like she was here? How far along in their hunt for this mysterious akuma were they?

Marinette wasn't watching where she was going during her run to complete some errands for her mother. She wandered right through the path of Kim and Max, causing the three of them to bounce between their shoulders and stop awkwardly at the intersection. She apologized profusely, trying to wipe away the embarrassment with a laugh.

"Aa! Sorry!" Marinette made sure she didn't do any serious harm before rubbing the back of her head. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

The two of them shrugged, seeming to enjoy Marinette's abrupt company. "We're off to see a movie with Rose and Juleka, do you want to come?"

Marinette was flattered and would have normally said yes, however there was a list in her pocket of groceries that wouldn't buy themselves. She also doubted she'd have time to shop then catch-up with them later. "Sounds like fun, but my mom needs me to pick up some things from the supermarket." She smiled and made to wave them off, when she spotted a black figure leap between two buildings behind them. Before Marinette knew what she was doing she let out a gasp and started looking around for signs of trouble. Max and Kim followed her shocked expression to see Chat Noir jumping from roof-top to roof-top going west.

"Is that…?"

"Chat Noir?" Max finished for Kim, his feet already in the process of moving in the direction of the masked hero. The taller teen shook his head and started to head towards the movie theatre. "We have no time Max! We're supposed to be there in five minutes… hopefully he's just patrolling." This seemed to pacify Max somewhat and they hastily waved Marinette goodbye. Their heads occasionally looked over their shoulder to see if the cat was coming back their way. Marinette simply stared in the direction her partner travelled, her mind ticking away at what to do.

With a groan, she hid in the shelter of an alleyway and began her transformation sequence. Maybe Chat Noir was on the heels of a villain that appeared on the other side of town? She couldn't afford to leave him on his own, especially knowing Tikki's information.

Once she was dressed for the occasion, Ladybug swung her yo-yo and started to track her partner down. She hoped that whatever he was doing wouldn't take too long or her mother would start to worry. She had been late for far too many errand runs that it was starting to look suspicious. After searching for a couple blocks she saw Chat Noir climbing up an older building by the Seine, he stopped when he saw Ladybug approach and looked relieved.

"You're a hard girl to find, my lady." He smiled wearily, making Ladybug concerned. Where was his boundless energy? His usual flirtatious wink? How long had he been running around town looking for her - hours? He looked ready to drop.

She sat down on the top of the roof and waited for Chat Noir to finish clambering up. He perched beside her and leaned back. The long drawn out breath he took made Ladybug wonder if he was going to fall asleep right there beside her.

The view wasn't anything spectacular, especially with the dreary grey clouds overhead, but it was still peaceful. Ladybug found herself missing the summer, where she could watch the bright sunsets fade into warm nights. "Were you looking for me?" It was rare seeing him without a pressing need to save the city at the forefront of her mind.

"I missed you." He moved over so that their forearms were touching. It looked like he was going to lean in to kiss her cheek, but he stopped just close enough to tease. "We should meet like this more often. Talk about battle strategies, get to know one another…" His attitude always made her grin, and tonight was no exception. It made it easier to open up to her when she was smiling.

"I have errands to run Chat Noir, I can't be called away just because you missed me."

The cat sighed and rolled his eyes, his mouth forming it's usual pout when she let him down. "I also need to talk to you about your kwami. That is, if you don't mind?"

Well that was a first. Ladybug assessed the expression on her partner's face with interest. Did his kwami also talk to some mystery Miraculous bearer last night?

"I don't mind, I don't think I have anything to hide." It wasn't as if Tikki told her anything substantial.

Chat Noir pulled away from Ladybug to look out at the city. "How many Miraculous are out there? Do you know?" There was something in his voice that was off. Strained perhaps. Like this was a topic he didn't really want to broach with her.

Ladybug shook her head, "I don't. I know there are others though, and that we're special. past Chat Noirs and Ladybugs always worked together." She wondered if decades ago another Chat Noir and another Ladybug sat together like this. Fought like they did. Cared about each other the same way.

"To do what?" He seemed genuinely interested, but Ladybug felt out of her element. Tikki never answered these kinds of questions, and at the time Marinette wasn't interested enough to want to know the answers. She wasn't one to really dwell on the philosophy of it all.

"I think it's to stop others from abusing their powers. Hawk moth would be terrorizing the city without us." It seemed a valid guess from her perspective.

Cat Noir shook his head, "I think he's only a threat to the city because he's looking for us. If our Miraculous didn't exist… I don't think anyone would be a victim of his akuma."

This made Ladybug sit in silence as she processed that thought. Would that be true? Was it their fault that their friends were being 'akumatized'? She noticed Chat Noir shifting uncomfortably before nervously laughing at his own words. Did he realize how odd he was being? Marinette desperately wanted to change the subject, but there was something in his tinted eyes that burned. Like he had something important to say but was coming at it sideways - not his usual head on manner that Ladybug found so refreshing.

"I mean, it's not really our fault that Hawk moth is using his akumas to get us… I only mean we might have a different purpose."

He was being so serious! It was Ladybug's turn to shake her head. "No, you're right. If we didn't exist, Hawk moth would not be using these methods to get to our Miraculous." She leaned back and tilted her head towards the colourless sky. "But we do exist. He knows we're out there." She gestured to the cityscape and frowned. "This won't stop until we get to him. Find the man behind the mask."

"What if we just give him our Miraculous?" The cat stared at his dangling feet.

Ladybug froze, her mouth slightly open at the suggestion. He must be joking! Yet his face seemed set in stone. "Are you mad!? Then he wins! He could use the Miraculous to take over the world!" What did he mean by even suggesting something like that? She waited to hear his response to her outburst, but there was none forthcoming. He was serious and it put her on edge. Now she was looking for a polite exit, hoping that maybe the cat was just in a weird mood.

Chat Noir scrunched up his face, "We don't know if that's what he wants. I heard the Miraculous could be used to create Miracles… to bring back people we lost. Maybe that's what he's doing."

"Who told you that?" Ladybug stood up from the ledge and walked a few paces backwards. Give up their Miraculous? The Chat Noir she knew would never do that! They fought so hard to stop Hawk moth before, why give up now? "What is going on Chat Noir?"

They both were standing now, staring at each other wondering what the other was thinking. Chat Noir crossed his arms, his eyes not quite meeting Ladybug's. "Would you give this up to bring back someone you love?" The question sounded uncertain, as if he were asking himself. Ladybug didn't know what to say, she had everyone she loved in arms reach - except Adrien of course, but Ladybug had a feeling Chat Noir was talking about something deeper than a crush.

"Did your kwami tell you that the Miraculous can bring back the dead?" She wanted to be sure that she understood fully what Chat Noir was trying to say, and that he wasn't just making stuff up.

The cat looked hesitant, "He didn't want to admit it, but they have been used like that in the past. He won't tell me how."

Ladybug hugged herself, suddenly feeling a chill. She stared at the people wandering the street below. She had thought that the Egyptian exhibit from months back was eluding to something like that - but it seemed more mythical than factual. It seemed that bearing the Miraculous gave them more power than she thought.

"There is someone that I love… that I might get back, if I collect the Miraculous." His voice was robotic and it made Ladybug's eyes widen.

"You don't mean… you're going to give this up?" She struggled to see where this new perspective was coming from. "And what about my Miraculous? You would need it wouldn't you?"

They looked at each other again, a small tendril of distrust weaving between the two of them. Something was wrong with Chat Noir, Ladybug was sure of it. This person that he loved, did they die recently? Was grief turning him into this? "Chat Noir, I don't know what you're going through, but… I don't want to give up my Miraculous. There are still people I want to protect."

Chat Noir looked at his feet.

Ladybug took a few more steps back. "I need to go. I'll see you later…" Why did she feel this way? Like there was a sudden wall between them? She jumped off the side of the building and headed towards the supermarket. She didn't dare look back. When she was safely de-transformed Tikki clung to her shoulder.

"He's being affected by the akuma Marinette! That wasn't the usual Chat Noir!"

Marinette's face was warped with worry. "That was so awkward! How do I fix this Tikki? It sounds like he wants to switch sides. He wouldn't take my Miraculous would he?" She picked up her friend in her hands and looked her in the eye. "Chat Noir and Ladybug always work together right?"

"The akuma is influencing him, I'm sure of it. You need to find the other Miraculous as soon as you can - tonight even. Before it convinces Chat Noir to do something he'll regret."

Marinette fretted, biting her lip. "Was it all true though? What he said. That the Miraculous can resurrect people?"

Tikki seemed smaller all of a sudden, "Together we are very powerful, which is why we are divided. Why we chose someone with potential to protect us from those that wish to unite us and use our power." She sighed and flew into Marinette's bag. "It is a lot to take in."

Marinette thought that was the understatement of the day, but didn't comment on it as she ran to the supermarket. Her head was spinning from all that had happened. It was just a couple days ago she and Chat Noir were fighting side by side. Now he was debating giving it all up - hinting that she should too, for the revival of someone he loved. It must be someone really close to him, to even consider talking to her about it. A seed of doubt started to grow.

Tikki looked up at her friend's chin, watching the emotions flicker across the girl's face. This akuma was going to upset everything she had worked so hard for. Marinette was still so young, and she cared for Chat Noir more than she wanted to admit. Why was it that through the ages, it was always the cat that was the end for her Ladybug?


	4. The Storm

Chapter 4

 **The Storm**

* * *

Adrien pressed his forehead against the dark glass of his bedroom. The storm Paris was bracing for had finally arrived. Three days had passed since he had talked to Ladybug and an awful knot had formed in his stomach. Was that a look of fear he saw in her eyes before she took off swinging? Did she think that he would take her Miraculous by force?

The teenager rubbed his face, feeling numb and unfocused. He couldn't remember the last time he slept well. Every time he closed his eyes Dreamweaver was waiting for him. She had taken to crafting him dreams where he would relive moments with his mother. Adrien found himself torn in two. He wanted desperately to see his mother, but he knew it was an illusion. Every time he tried to tell Dreamweaver to stop - that it was painful, she tried to pressure him to try and resurrect his mother with the Miraculous. Every night his resolve was weaker and weaker. He just wanted it to end, so he didn't sleep last night… and he wasn't planning on sleeping tonight either.

Plagg watched him from his desk, his eyes narrowed, calculating. Adrien had barely spoken to him since he asked about the true power behind the Miraculous. It was true that they were capable of so much more than transformation; but Plagg liked secrets. Secrets protected them, allowed them to manipulate if needed. Chat Noir was cursed with bad luck. The kwami knew from past moody teenage Chat Noirs that they tended to point fingers, and when misfortune came up in conversation those fingers always made their way to Plagg. Still, as upset as they were with each other, Adrien's lack of sleep was scaring the kwami. Adrien had told Plagg about his Dreamweaver problem when he refused to sleep and immediately Plagg recognized the work of a particularly dangerous akuma - but nothing Plagg said would get through to the stubborn boy.

"Ask Ladybug for help Adrien."

Adrien balled his hands into fists and clenched his jaw. "What's she going to do!? No. This is my problem. Besides, she's afraid of me… and she has a right to be. I don't know what I want anymore." He slid down the glass, but remained on his haunches. The ache of his thighs while he held the cat-like position was keeping him awake. "I miss her…" He raised his chin, staring deep into his reflection echoing in the blackness of the window. He could see his mother's features in that shadowed face. Those haunting eyes.

"You miss Ladybug?" Plagg asked, not making any sense from Adrien's words. He hesitated to fly over to him, his little paws twitching with the effort. "You can't deal with this akuma by yourself! If you won't find her I will!" The sincerity in Plagg's voice shocked even him.

"I told you, she's not an akuma!" Adrien replied weakly. He knew she had a Miraculous, but Plagg didn't believe him. The description of Dreamweaver didn't fit any of the Miraculous Plagg knew. Yet when Adrien asked how many Miraculous there were and what powers they possessed, the cat kwami clammed up. Secrets had caused a rift between them.

Lightning streaked across the window, followed by a rolling thunder that shook the building. Adrien backed up from the window and turned to his computer. He was going to look up the weather forecast, but suddenly the power went out. Everything was cast into darkness. Adrien felt his heart beat a little erratically in his chest. For a split second he thought he had fallen into a dream, but Plagg's sudden comforting weight on his shoulder calmed him down.

"A power line must have went down." Adrien theorized, but Plagg shook his head.

"No, this is something more. We need to go out there."

In Adrien's current state, he was paranoid that this was a trick of Plagg to get Ladybug to help him; but if he stayed here it was likely that he would eventually succumb to slumber. He needed a distraction.

Reluctantly he transformed into Chat Noir and threw open his window. The sudden surge of cold fresh air revitalized him. Without further thought, the cat fled out his window. The rain beat against his back as he leapt from the sill, but he savored the sensation. This was freedom - the reason he signed up to be Chat Noir in the first place. He scampered across the ground, skidding and sliding more than usual due to his combined lack of sleep and the slickness of the rain. He gained altitude the closer he got into the center of the city, his night vision helping tremendously with finding hand holds in the storm. He was passing alongside an office building when he saw something in the reflection of the windows. Dreamweaver was flying beside him, her long gauzy veils trailing behind her.

"Whoa!" Chat Noir skidded to a halt and looked behind him, but there was nothing there. He could hear his sharp bursts of breath over the rain, and his arms were shaking from fatigue. When he looked back, Dreamweaver floated behind him in the reflection, her face mask-like. Was he dreaming?

"You can run from me Chat Noir, but you cannot escape. Your mind is slipping into my realm…" She reached out a hand, but Chat Noir ran from the reflection, feeling full of chaos. He threw himself onto the next rooftop, glancing over his shoulder to make sure the image dissipated. When he looked back he let out a yelp for there was someone standing right in front of him. Without his usual grace he scrambled backwards and tried not to look as crazy as he was feeling.

"You are the Chat Noir?"

That wasn't Dreamweaver's voice. It was a girl with long dark hair pulled back into a loose braid. Her olive skin was obscured by an orange and white outfit that made her look like a fox. Bright brown eyes took in the defensive stature of Chat Noir and frowned. "She is in your mind. Quickly. You must come with me." She reached out a hand to grab his wrist, but Chat Noir waved it off.

He took in her look from her cute fox ears to her booted feet and stood up from his cat-like crouch. He was Chat Noir - this was his city! Though this was the first time someone like her crossed his path.

"You know who I am, so you know I'm not some just some stray." She didn't look like someone that meant him harm, yet he couldn't be sure. "You can't just take me home, foxy lady." He was tired, but there was no way he couldn't resist a bit of flirting. She was kinda cute in that get-up. "Unless there is some reason you want to take me home?" He winked.

This brought a momentary blush to the girl's cheeks. She recovered quickly and straightened her back. "No jokes. You are in grave danger!" Her accent became thicker the more agitated the fox became. Chat Noir couldn't place where the accent was from, but he found it intriguing. He took a step back the moment the girl stepped forward to close the distance between them. He brought up a hand and shook his finger.

"You're a forward one, but this cat isn't for sale."

"You need my help!" The girl cried out and took out a flute from a satchel on her hip. "I can keep her away from you-"

Chat Noir crossed his arms, "Wait wait wait. Who even ARE you?" As he spoke his voice trembled slightly. There was something wrong with the shadows around the rooftop they were standing on. They were… moving; creeping towards him like pools of ink. He stared around him wildly. "What the-"

The fox's brown eyes fixated on Chat Noir despite his erratic behaviour. As he was distracted by illusions, she lifted the flute to her lips and let out a trill that cut through the sound of the rain hitting the metal roof. Chat Noir seemed struck dumb by the sound. Eyes wide, he took a tentative step towards the mysterious girl, but the notes became lower and slower. Something seemed to click in the cat's head and his eyes rolled back. He hit the ground hard.

The girl lowered the flute and ran to the boy. An ornate choker around her throat started to beep, but she disregarded the sound as she flipped the cat over. He was most definitely asleep, and it looked like he needed it from the bags under his eyes.

From behind came a shout and the sound of rapid footfalls. The fox looked over her shoulder and jumped back just in time to avoid a yo-yo to the back of the head.

"Get away from him!" Ladybug demanded, chest bellowing as if she had just ran a marathon. She had landed over Chat Noir, her eyes flashing with determination to protect her partner.

The fox looked momentarily shaken, but then leveled her eyes at Ladybug. "I am not the enemy. She has him under her spell." The girl pointed to Chat Noir with her flute. There was a desperation in her voice that made Ladybug lower her guard.

"You're the one hunting the akuma." She said slowly, taking in the look of the girl. Was this the person that was talking to Tikki a couple days ago? Or was this the akuma?

"Yes! I am Volpina." She walked over to Ladybug and motioned her away from Chat Noir. "He is dangerous. Please stay away." Her grasp of French was difficult, but there was fear in the girl's movements that Ladybug understood.

"Chat Noir is my friend. He isn't dangerous…" Ladybug wanted to believe that. Especially since he looked so helpless flopped over in a puddle. He need her.

Ladybug pulled him up out of the water and threw him over her shoulder in a fireman's carry. Volpina shook her head and tried to grab at Chat Noir, but Ladybug jumped backwards. "It's alright! He's out. I'm just going to put him somewhere safe and we can talk later all right? Wait here…" She made to jump off of the roof but when she turned around yet another figure appeared.

She looked like a white version of Ladybug, though her hair was pleated and light, and her mask was shaped differently. An orange jewel adorned her forehead. Those eyes though - they were as hollow as the smile she wore. She moved to jump at Ladybug and Chat Noir, but Volpina moved faster than the lightning in the distance and came between them.

Tentatively, Ladybug put a few yards between herself and the other two masked women. She wanted to vault out of there with Chat Noir, but what if Volpina needed help? If this was the akuma responsible for Chat Noir's condition… it was her responsibility to watch his back. They were a team after all.

"Run Ladybug! I will end this." Volpina shouted, throwing one hand backwards to shoo Ladybug while using the other to put her flute to her lips.

"Too late." Dreamweaver whispered as she blew a kiss in Ladybug's direction. Out of Ladybug's vision, an orange glow in the shape of lips appeared on Chat Noir's forehead. The cat opened his eyes, though his pupils were reduced to nearly nothing. Ladybug felt Chat Noir stir in her grip and let him down gratefully. She was about to say something to put him at ease, when his hand shot out and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her off her feet. Ladybug grabbed at his wrists and wheezed, trying to get air to her lungs. What the hell was going on?

Volpina turned to see the events transpiring behind her and gasped. This was exactly what she dreaded would happen. On top of that her powers were going to fade in the next five minutes. Turning her attention back to Dreamweaver she snarled. "You have done enough harm! You will never collect the Miraculous. Give up already!"

Dreamweaver grimaced and jumped backwards off the roof. The air rippled like water around her and she sank to the street below. Volpina thrust her flute in the air, a bolt of electricity highlighting her figure as her tail split into nine ghostly apparitions. She yelled something and took off running with superhuman speed. She seemed to appear and disappear at will, coming up behind the descending Dreamweaver and delivering a powerful kick upwards. The akuma couldn't dodge, and ascended, her sideways momentum sending her into Chat Noir and Ladybug.

Ladybug put a hand to her bruised throat and sucked in as much air as she could before stumbling for some cover. Chat Noir dragged himself to his feet, looking much like a puppet with it's strings tangled. Volpina had just enough time to vault over to Ladybug who was cowering behind a vent before her collar beeped again and her transformation receded. She was a normal girl again, and powerless to do anything. In her hands she cupped her kwami, a cute fox-like creature with large amber eyes. "I'm sorry… there is nothing I can do."

Ladybug closed her eyes. Panic was bubbling up inside her. She needed to try something, Chat Noir was depending on her! With fervor she stood and threw her yo-yo up into the air and shouted "Lucky Charm!"

It gave her a towel.

Volpina looked at the towel then to Ladybug with a look of complete confusion. "Is that… your power?"

The disappointment in the girls' voice was hard to ignore, but Ladybug worked with what she was given. Dreamweaver was groaning from Volpina's attack, but Chat Noir was coming for another bout. Ladybug vaulted over him and threw the towel over his head. She clung to Chat Noir's back, using the towel as reins while she tried to wrestle him to the ground. Dreamweaver stood up and made to walk over two the struggling pair, but Volpina came from their hiding place charged at her in normal form. This took the akuma by surprise and Volpina jumped, tackling the woman. In the mess of limbs Volpina called out and threw something at ladybug - it was the forehead jewel.

What came next was automatic. She crushed it under her foot and watched a black insect come out of it - only it wasn't a butterfly… it was a bee. The difference startled her into almost letting it go, until Volpina shouted to purify it. With a swing of her yo-yo the deed was done and a bright yellow bumblebee buzzed off into the stormy night.

Behind her Dreamweaver dissolved into a girl wearing a white dress and an expression of utter despair. "You ruined everything… I could have brought him back… brought them all back." The girl ground the palms of her hands into the rooftop, still so angry about something Ladybug couldn't decipher.

Volpina helped the girl to her feet. "It is too high of a price to pay to undo what fate has done. You must live with your loss… if you do not, you lose much more." Her words were surprisingly tender for someone who just roundhouse kicked their opponent three stories high. The former-fox girl looked to Ladybug and smiled faintly. "I have done what I came here for. I will take Lynn home… you should see to your cat."

Ladybug smiled, "Thank-you. I don't know what I would have done without your help." It seemed awkward now, standing in the middle of a roof in the rain with an angry crying girl between them. It surprised Ladybug how much she liked Volpina even though they had only met less than half an hour ago and under such weird circumstances. She watched Volpina take the light-haired girl by the hand and guide her down the fire-escape. Once their heads disappeared over the side, Ladybug turned to her partner.

Only to find that he was no longer Chat Noir.


	5. The Fox

Chapter 5

 **The Fox**

* * *

Ladybug only caught a glimpse of dark denim before she turned away in fear. Her lucky charm was still loosely wrapped around Chat Noir's head from when she forced him to the ground - but now she didn't dare remove it. Who was underneath that polka dot towel? No. She shouldn't even think about questions she didn't want the answers to.

"What do I do… what do I do!?" Ladybug paced, biting her lip as her thoughts raced. She couldn't just leave him here in the rain. Maybe she could take him to a hospital? It would be easy to lie about the situation and say she saw him collapse in the street when she was passing by. Could she do all that with her eyes closed though?

"You _could_ find me some cheese…" A wary voice said from a gap underneath Ladybug's towel.

In the darkness, the heroine could see green glowing eyes and the outline of a cat-like head. It was severely unimpressed with the situation it found itself in. "Unless you don't want me to transform him back…"

Ladybug took a step back. Of course he'd have a kwami too! But she didn't think to bring any food with her. She only came out to see if the power outage was due to an akuma.

Plagg shivered and looked miserable. "I take it you don't have any cheese."

Ladybug was frozen, completely at a loss of what to do in this situation.

"The longer you keep him out here… the more likely he is to catch a cold, or hypothermia." Plagg stated simply, watching Ladybug intently. "If it's his identity you're worried about, I doubt that he would mind you knowing. Especially given that he's sleeping in a puddle." He started to tug on his master's shirt in a half-hearted attempt to wake him, but stopped the moment his paws hit dampness. Plagg hated the rain.

For some reasons those words didn't bring the comfort Ladybug thought they would. She stepped forward and made to reach out to grab the corner of the towel, but she couldn't. What if their roles were reversed? Would she care about Chat Noir knowing her true identity? It could mean everything… or it might mean nothing.

Plagg sighed loudly and gripped the towel with his tiny appendages. "You teenagers are always so dramatic! Do you know how many times I've had to watch this same situation?" He ripped the towel from Adrien's face and gestured at the boy with impatience. "I mean really, is this face even familiar to you?"

Ladybug's knees hit the rooftop and Plagg knew that something was awry immediately. The girl was wide-eyed and all the colour had leeched out of her face. It took the kwami a few seconds to realize that she wasn't breathing.

"Whoa whoa!" He flew out and punched her on the nose. "Take a deep breath, if you pass out too we're really in trouble."

So she knew him. Well, that might create more complications than he thought he was solving. "Look, I want off this rooftop, and you only have the strength to carry my friend here as Ladybug."

"Adrien." She breathed, feeling incredibly light headed as she rubbed her nose. "Adrien is Chat Noir." There were two people in her head: one flirty, laid back, kind of goofy - the other was kind, quiet and charming. They couldn't be the same person. They just couldn't.

Working on autopilot, Ladybug dispelled her lucky charm and undid whatever harm Dreamweaver unleashed upon the world. It was a distraction that gave her enough time to push the whole Adrien/Chat Noir thing to the back of her mind. First thing she needed to do was not panic and get Adrien up out of the rain.

The moment her hands touched his wrists she realized how low his body temperature had dropped. The shock of everything dissipated, replaced with worry for Adrien. "I'm taking him to a hospital… just in case." She gently set the boy on her shoulder and started to wind up her yo-yo. "You should stay with me for now, just to be safe."

Plagg frowned, "If he wakes up and I'm not there he might panic and think his Miraculous was taken."

"I'd rather that then someone else misplacing it… besides I have some questions I want to ask." She found his hand dangling near the small of her back and slipped his ring onto her finger. A strange feeling ran up her arm - tingling and warm like when entering a hot bath.

Plagg groaned and tried to summon enough energy to dodge the worst of the rain, though his eyes flitted to the ring Ladybug just acquired. In the end he perched himself on Ladybug's shoulder. "Questions, questions. When will you understand that the less you know the better?"

Without further delay, Ladybug repelled down the building and made her way to the nearest emergency room in silence. She didn't agree with Plagg's statement. There were more to the Miraculous than the kwamis were letting on, and their enemies were starting to figure it out.

* * *

Dropping Adrien off at the emergency room was easier than Ladybug thought. She only needed to walk through the doors before all eyes were on her, ready to show their gratitude for her services to the city. She signed two autographs for the most persistent of the staff before vaulting out of there just in time for her transformation to wear off.

As Marinette walked home she felt the full brunt of the rain. Her whole body felt numb; but her mind felt even worse. This whole time Adrien was Chat Noir. How was that possible? The more she thought about it the more things fell into place. Chat Noir knew her classmate's names. He was always missing when she was… with the same lame excuses. But Chat Noir was so flirty! All the times he kissed her hand… held her close… that time she kissed him! Marinette turned bright red and Tikki could have sworn she saw steam coming off of her wet hair.

Marinette tried to sneak in her house since it was well past midnight, but her parents were up waiting for her to come home - worried sick at her absence. It was time for another lame excuse.

As Marinette toweled her hair the lies came easy: a cat got hit by a car, she saw it from her window and raced to save it. She took it to the address it had on it's collar, but no one was home so she ran to the nearest person that would help. Her words were weary enough that her parents believed her, but scolded her for not thinking to talk to them about the event. Marinette was certain her parents would fight her a little more on the subject if it wasn't so late. She counted herself lucky yet again.

She was sent to her room where she immediately set Tikki and Plagg down on her desk. The kwami's looked to each other than back to Marinette before they both suddenly let out a cry and pointed behind the girl.

Marinette turned to see Volpina, looking nonchalant while she looked at some of Marinette's personal belongings distributed around the room. She was back in her fox-form, though she looked sheepish at having been discovered.

"I am sorry to scare you. I was hoping to talk before I go back. There is a problem with what happened tonight I did not expect." She set down a photograph of Adrien and looked apologetic.

Marinette's face took a second to go from scared, to shocked, to relaxed, then back to shocked. "I-I'm not Ladybug! These are just… uhh…" She looked to the two kwami for help, but they both just stared blankly back - not sure of what Marinette wanted their help with. It was too late to hide her real identity, Volpina obviously knew it.

Volpina looked confused, "I don't understand."

Marinette stared at the ground and rubbed her face. "You're the only one that knows…."

"Knows what? That you are the girl that is Ladybug?" Volpina tilted her head with an incredulous expression, "Really? Not even Chat Noir? Not even your parents?"

"Yes! Shh…! My parents are light sleepers and they just went to bed." Marinette collapsed onto her desk chair and groaned. "It's been such a long day. What are you hear for? I thought I'd never see you again."

Volpina crossed her arms. "There is more to this problem than I thought… and it is perhaps better for you to know." Volpina frowned and started to pace. "The girl Lynn was akumatized by a family member who was Queen Bee. The girl had lost most of her family to a fire and wished that she could… uh… fix it." She seemed to struggle to find the right french words. "Queen Bee knew of the Miraculous' power. She akumatized Lynn to see if though using her powers in this way they could reverse time, or undo what had been done. It did not work. Dreamweaver became warped by the misuse of this power stole the Miraculous from Queen Bee - thinking that she could wield greater power from it." Volpina started to pace. "I thought that once Dreamweaver was destroyed… I would find the Miraculous. I cannot and Lynn does not remember anything from her time as Dreamweaver."

Tikki and Plagg looked at eachother concerned and said at the same time, "Sunaa."

Both girls looked to the kwami's with interest. Volpina approached the desk cautiously. "Can you find the missing Miraculous? Sense it?"

They shook their heads, though Tikki took the spotlight. "We can only sense it if it is close and in use. Sunaa hasn't been activated by anyone in this city. Even if she did have a new master, we cannot sense her exact location unless she wants us too. We can only sense the master's existence."

Volpina sighed and sat down cross-legged on Marinette's bed. "I was afraid of this."

Marinette turned to the kwami. "How do we find it then?"

"You don't, that isn't your duty." Plagg said simply, curling up in Tikki's bed and getting the stink-eye from her for it. "It is Wayzz' job to make sure the Miraculous are where they are supposed to be."

"Who?" Volpina and Marinette asked, their interest piqued by the sudden influx of new information.

Tikki smacked her partner's nose. "You know better than that Plagg!" She huffed and looked at the curious eyes of the girls and frowned sadly. "The Miraculous have a way of finding themselves in the right hands-"

"You have a rogue Miraculous here though correct? This 'Hawk-Moth' Ladybug has been fighting? How can you say that his kwami is in the right hands?" Volpina pointed out. This made Tikki cringe and droop her antenna. "There is more to that than you know…"

"And you're not going to tell us are you?" Marinette said, trying not to sound bitter. Tikki bit her lip and gave her friend an apologetic look. Marinette stood from her chair and sighed in frustration. "Well than, what options do we have?"

Plagg grumbled, "Do nothing - until it becomes a problem!"

More thunder and lightening punctured the heavy rain and wind outside. They all paused to look out the window and feel grateful that it was warm and dry inside. Collectively they brainstormed about their current dilemma, but no solutions other than Plagg's were spoken.

"What ever you decide, I can't stay in Paris for long… I have at most a couple of days before I return to Italy. I have a foe that has been plaguing my city. Yet another rogue Miraculous that you say is in the _right_ hands." Volpina also got up and slowly made her way to the upper balcony. "I need to leave, it is late, and this storm is only getting worse." Marinette followed, tapping the fox on the shoulder.

"Wait! Umm… can I have some way of contacting you, in case we ever need you again? Or if Queen Bee shows up? I mean… I've never seen another one of us that wasn't… ah… evil." Marinette smiled nervously. Volpina blinked dumbly at the question, unsure of how to reply.

"Ah… yes. I suppose." She looked around for a pen and paper and picked up a post-it note from Marinette's desk. "This is my mobile phone. Only call for emergencies! I am busy with my job. Do not let anyone else have this number." Volpina blushed, thinking about Chat Noir and his flirting. "Few others know I am Volpina… I would like to keep it that way."

Marinette nodded, though was shocked that Volpina would share her identity with other people. She took the note with the number and stored it in her diary. Volpina went to the balcony, the rain coming down harder than ever.

"Goodbye Ladybug, I hope the next time we meet it will be under different circumstances." She split her tail magically into two and seemed to vanish in the storm. Marinette gasped at how fast Volpina's powers made her - and was a little jealous. Speed seemed far better than her own abilities. She went back inside, making sure all the windows were shut tight and that the two kwami's weren't fighting. While Marienette was on the balcony it seemed that Tikki found her way back into the make-shift bed Marinette made her and Plagg was looking dejected curled up on a stuffed animal in the corner.

Marinette flopped on her bed and groaned at the luxury. She kicked off her socks and buried into the covers. This day just refused to end. she thought about Adrien, alone in the hospital and felt a little guilty. She could have taken him home… but he was so cold. Was he alright? She would have to visit him tomorrow… tell him that she had Plagg - tell him that she knew he was Chat Noir. Marinette closed her eyes, picturing his face as she told him… sleep came easily soon after.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** So I watched the first of the Origin episodes! I'm very glad that most my guessing so far has been correct. I have nudged a few things in past chapters to make it more canon. Hopefully you enjoy this new chapter. Please read and review~!


	6. Aftermath

Chapter Six  
 **Aftermath**

The first thing he realized was that he was sweating - a lot. Everything was far too hot and Adrien couldn't recall a time where he felt more uncomfortable. Opening his eyes took far more effort than it should. There was a cacophony of shouting nearby and recognized it as his father's. He was too tired to remember the words, but he remembered seeing a face above him - blonde and beautiful. He whispered the words "Maman?" and instantly regretted it.

Chloe's face swam into view.

He watched as her eyes darted to something behind her, then back to Adrien. She was sitting beside his… hospital bed? Why was he in the hospital? He felt a little groggy… but a cup of coffee would fix that. Was his father angry because he missed a photo shoot? He went to sit up but Chloe put a hand on his chest and hissed. "I wouldn't. Your father is going to flip at you the first moment he can. Pretend you're asleep."

Gabriel Agreste noticed Chloe's movement and stopped shouting at his staff and the nurses to stomp over. "And just what are YOU doing here? This is a private room."

Chloe moved her chair around, letting it screech against the tiled floor. "I'm tending to my precious Adrien." She pulled the hospital blankets up to the boy's chin and dusted some sweaty strands of hair off of his forehead. "Providing something more pleasant to wake up to then a bunch of shouting." Her eyes narrowed in an accusatory manner before flitting back to Adrien and purring, "Can you hear me Adrien? It's your Chloe… I'm here for you." Her lip practically trembled at her words.

It took all of Adrien's willpower not to burst out laughing, though a small part of him was wondering if Chloe really meant the words she was saying. Her attachment to him could be terrifying at times. Adrien hoped she was here for alternative reasons, such as an excuse to not do a school project, or to cripple the hearts of the girls that sometimes followed him around.

To keep up the illusion that Chloe supplied for him, Adrien kept his eyes closed and his breathing even. Surprisingly Mr. Agreste backed down, though stared at Chloe with more steel behind his expression than Chloe could handle. "Fine." He turned to Nathalie, "You are to call me the moment he wakes up! Do not leave his side until then, do you understand?"

The woman looked harried, but replied with a "Yes sir!" She clutched her mobile phone with both hands as if her life depended on it.

Adrien's father left the room and everyone breathed a little easier. Adrien opened his eyes to see Chloe watching the door. Once the coast was clear she let out a long sigh and slumped in her chair.

Nathalie walked over and was startled to find that Adrien had opened his eyes. The boy could see the options running through the woman's head; should she run after Mr. Agreste and inform him about his son - or not?

"Don't." Adrien said, surprised to find his voice so hoarse. "What happened?"

Chloe flipped her hair over her shoulder and cooed from her chair, "Oh Adrien! Ladybug found you out in the storm. Said you were just laying on the sidewalk! She carried you here." There was a tiny pang of jealousy there that Adrien could detect.

Adrien blinked and then let out a moan before he could stop himself. So Ladybug knew who he was now. That was going to make things awkward in the future. If only it happened the other way around...

He was thinking about the implications of his identity being revealed, when a frustrated looking nurse arrived. She was about to say something snarky to Nathalie when she noticed Adrien was awake.

"Aah! It's good to see you up!" It was amazing how quickly her expression went from cranky to sunshine and daisies when she looked at Adrien.

"How- how long was I asleep?" Adrien struggled to get the words out. His throat was parched and he felt awful. He wrestled with the blankets around him to get some air at his over heated body.

"About fourteen hours. You needed it though. Seems like your immune system took a bit of a holiday and you got struck with a particularly nasty cold." The nurse popped a thermometer into Adrien's mouth and started to unravel a blood-pressure cuff. "You were treated for mild hypothermia. Though we don't know the cause of your sudden collapse. Do you remember anything from last night?" She helped Adrien pull back some of his blankets, letting in some blissful air that made the boy shiver. She then wrapped the velcro-cuff around his exposed upper arm.

Adrien talked around the thermometer in his mouth, "I was having trouble sleeping… I took a walk to tire myself out. That's the last I remember..." He felt so groggy. Between a sore throat and the stick in his mouth his words were nearly indecipherable. The nurse seemed to understand as she nodded and recorded his blood pressure and temperature.

"Well, you seem to have a proper temperature now… and a cold isn't really a reason to stay here in the hospital. We'll discharge you in a few hours. I'll talk to the doctor about prescribing you some sleep medication for your insomnia." The nurse left as abruptly as she came.

Adrien frowned, thinking about Dreamweaver; yet, he had been asleep for 14 hours and she wasn't there haunting him. Did she move onto torturing Ladybug? He fell back deeper into his pillows and took some slow steady breaths. The sound of Chloe filing her nails shifted his attention.

"How did you know I was here?" He asked, suspicious all of a sudden.

"You looked ill yesterday. Didn't show up at school today so I skipped out at lunch and went to your place and no one was there." She didn't look up from her nails, but a smug expression started to grow. "I called the hospital and they said you were here. I also called all of your clubs… some of your instructors are complete idiots." She inspected her nails and once satisfied put her nail file back into her bag. "Honestly, none of them knew I was your girlfriend."

Adrien rolled his eyes, "Chloe… We've been over this… I'm not your boyfriend."

Chloe laughed as if he were making a cute joke, "I came to be your nurse! You just relax and realize how perfect we are together." She grabbed his hand and snuggled it. Adrien just closed his eyes and willed her away. It was useless fighting her confidence. After several minutes of gathering his thoughts, Adrien put a plan into action.

"Chloe, I want to get changed… do you mind waiting outside?" Adrien said kindly, earning an earnest nod from the girl.

"Of course~! I'll be right outside." She picked up her purse and headed to the door. Nathalie watched her leave with a slight disgusted look on her face. Adrien sighed yet again and sat up. "Nathalie… do you have a change of clothes? I don't remember getting into this gown…"

The personal assistant nodded and pulled out a bag from the private bathroom. "I already collected your possessions from the medical staff, these items are freshly laundered." She set the bag on the foot of Adrien's bed and then lingered for a moment. "I'm stepping out to call your father… let us hope for both our sakes the hospital hasn't already contacted him" She left quickly, the snap of the door closing announcing Adrien's freedom to get out of the papery nightgown they dressed him in.

Shivering at his bare feet against the linoleum floor, Adrien took his bag to the bathroom to freshen up a bit. He looked like a mess. His hair was greasy and he could smell the stale sweat coming off of him. Despite how intimidating the shower looked, Adrien couldn't resist a proper rinse.

It was only when he began rooting around for his things still dripping from the shower, when his missing miraculous came to mind. He froze in panic. Adrien dressed frantically and skidded back into the hospital room. There was nothing belonging to him anywhere. No ring. No kwami. Had Dreamweaver taken it? He pulled on socks and shoes and headed to the hallway. Outside it was busy. Nurses moving about, patients wheeling themselves around, visitors like Chloe and Nathalie leaning against the walls to get out of the way.

"Chloe!" Adrien croaked, trying to keep the fear out of his voice. "Did you see a ring anywhere?"

Chloe looked up from her compact mirror and assessed Adrien with interest. "A ring? No why?"

The feeling of doom started to crawl up his spine, but he couldn't afford to show it. He turned to Nathalie. "Nathalie, was there a ring with my clothes from last night?"

She was still on the phone, but her shaking head was the only information he needed. He ran to the nearest nurses station, but the girl there was busy so he had to wait. The seconds he stood there seemed like hours, and it must have shown on his face because the nurse kept her call short. "Sorry about that, what do you need?"

"Uh, I'm Adrien Agreste… I was in that room right there… I had a ring… but I can't seem to find it." His throat wasn't cooperating with his voice and Adrien felt like his calm mask was cracking around the edges. The nurse merely blinked and started to rummage around her desk. "Aa… I have a form here for lost and found inquiries, but I don't remember anything about a ring. I think the nurse who had you last night left a note about something though… it could have been something about that. Let's see…" She pulled out a crumpled pink post-it note. "Aa! Yes! For Adrien Agreste. Hmm… nothing about a ring unfortunately. It's a message- oh! From Ladybug. Lucky!" She handed it over with a big smile.

Adrien's hand shook as he took the note. In hurried pencil it said: " _I'm sorry. Don't worry. I'm taking care of your friend. I'm so sorry._ "

He felt dizzy with relief. Ladybug had Plagg. His miraculous was in the right hands. She must be freaking out about knowing his true identity, but that didn't matter as much to him now. He re-read the message, trying to figure out what Ladybug might be thinking at that very moment.

"Taking care of your friend? What does that mean?"

Chloe made Adrien jump with her sudden appearance over his shoulder. She snatched the paper out of his hands and frowned at it. "What are they so sorry about anyway?"

Adrien was going to reply, but Nathalie's hand on his shoulder distracted him. She hand his bag in her other hand. "Come on Adrien. Your father is waiting in the car. Do you have everything you need?" All he could do was nod as she practically dragged him towards the exit. Did he get discharged that quickly? His father probably did some more yelling over the phone to have him handed over so fast. Chloe was following, but Nathalie stopped the girl in her tracts.

"You need to go home Miss Bourgeois."

Chloe whined but it was no use. Nathalie wouldn't let her in the same elevator down. Adrien stared dumbly ahead at the elevator doors. He still felt terrible despite the shower, and he wasn't looking forward to a car ride home with his father. Like a soldier dead on his feet, he marched wherever Nathalie took him. The car was out front and Adrien could see the silouhette of his father within. Nathalie opened the door and Adrien slipped inside without a word.

Anger was written all over Mr. Agreste's face. He wanted to rant - Adrien knew, but only silence was heard for the majority of the trip. Adrien closed his eyes, surprised at how tired he was even though he just slept enough for two days. He was startled when he felt his father's hand on his forehead. Green eyes stared into grey with apprehensive curiosity.

"I'm glad you're okay."

Adrien's mouth opened, then formed the smallest of smiles. He knew his father cared about his well being, but it didn't manifest itself well. The disappearance of his mother changed them both in ways the other did not expect. "I didn't mean to scare you…"

"I'm sure." There was some bite back in his words and all feelings of bonding were cut short. "You are to be confined to your room for the next three days."

Adrien sighed angrily. "Really? How am I suppose to get anything done? What about my lessons… school?"

"I don't care Adrien! You are sick. You have been rebellious and reckless! What were you thinking going for a walk in the middle of a storm! You will obey me and stay in your room lest I ground you for a week."

Adrien said nothing, though he seethed on the inside. Now that he didn't have his ring he was really trapped.

* * *

The night of the second day Adrien was lying in bed trying to rest. Boredom had made him restless and his room was a complete disaster - mostly out of spite. He was just about to close his eyes for the fourteenth time when a quite tap made him sit up and turn to his window.

Silhouetted against a crescent moon was Ladybug. Her eyes were wide, searching his face for something, but Adrien could think of nothing other than how relieved he was to have a visitor. Quietly he crossed the room and opened the glass. It was strange staring at her in costume, while he was just simple Adrien.

"Hello." He said, breathing the word like it was the first time he ever used it.

Ladybug turned a shade of pink Adrien thought familiar, "Aah… Hello. Is this a-a bad time? I could come back later." She looked over her shoulder like she wanted to run.

"No. Come in. It's okay." He stepped back to allow her to shimmy through the window. Her movements were stuttered and her eyes never quite met his. A small sadness nipped at his heart. She was uncomfortable, did she feel guilt at discovering his secret?

"I don't mind you knowing."

Ladybug didn't seem to know where to put her arms. "I- ah… I didn't mean to see. I didn't know what to do. You were so cold and… I-" She shook her head and squashed the awkwardness by re-posturing. "We can't change what happened." She looked Adrien in the eyes, making his heart flip. "I'm happy it's you Adrien… for what it's worth."

Adrien didn't know how to reply. He felt like pulling her into a hug, ensuring that everything was okay between them. Just as he moved to touch her shoulder Plagg came out from behind Ladybug and hovered in front of Adrien.

"What a mess! Is everything you own on the floor?" He moved to perch on top of Adrien's television. "I knew you'd fall to pieces without me. Do you have any cheese?"

Ladybug shot the kwami an irritated look. "My kwami is much better behaved then yours. I don't know how you manage." She frowned, then blushed as their eyes met. "Um… nice room." She looked around trying not to linger to long on the various piles of clothing and equipment scattered about. This made Adrien's ears turn scarlet.

"Normally it's a lot cleaner…" He started to kick things underneath his desk and bed. "My father confined me here… so I'm making a bit of a statement." He laughed nervously before changing the subject. "Thanks for taking care of me the other night. I was really out of it… I'm still trying to figure out what happened. I remember a fox-girl playing a flute. Who was she? Did Dreamweaver get dealt with?" Once the floor was somewhat cleared he sat on the foot of his bed.

Ladybug paced, her brow furrowed in thought. "There are other Miraculous in town. One belongs to Volpina. She was trying to fight the weird akuma that arrived. We defeated it… but apparently she had taken a Miraculous… a bee Miraculous. The only problem is Lynn can't remember what she did with it. She doesn't remember her time as an akuma." Ladybug rubbed her arm. "I said I'd help look for it, but I don't know where to start."

Adrien nodded, following along and trying to figure out how he could help. "Do you think Hawk Moth has it? He is collecting them after all."

This made Ladybug shake her head and looking pointedly at Plagg. "No… she thought you needed all the Miraculous to perform a Miracle, but apparently you just need ours."

This was news to Adrien. A small part of him wondered if he could bring back his mother if he could just get Ladybug to understand. He pushed the voice to the back of his mind and refocused. "Wouldn't he still want it so that he could make himself an ally?"

Again Ladybug shook her head, "He can make allies with his power, ones that can't challenge him. Why would he create someone who could potentially turn against him? A rival would be bad for both sides." She paced some more before sighing and heading back to the window. This made Adrien stand up and reach out.

"Wait! Are you leaving so soon?"

Ladybug stopped, her eyes wide as she looked back towards Adrien. "I can't stay out too late. I meant only to give you Plagg back and run back home… I've stayed too long already." She turned back to the window apologetically, but Adrien quickly crossed the room and hugged her from behind. The action made Ladybug gasp.

"Thank-you. For being my partner… and my friend." He said quietly before letting her go. He had felt her shaking within his embrace and he didn't want to make things more difficult between them.

The heroine stood frozen, face beet red and a jumble of incoherent words primed on her tongue. She closed her mouth once she realized she left it open and practically dived out of Adrien's window. The boy watched her leave, trying to be polite by not laughing as she nearly hit the fence as she left. It reminded him of Marinette-

Adrien stopped his train of thought, then slowly tried to make an argument against the connection he just made - only nothing contested the idea. "No… surely Alya would have figured it out… I mean… they're best friends." Yet who is always there to capture footage of Ladybug? He thought that it might be a classmate since Ladybug knew all the akuma victim's names, but they all had been akumatized - except Marinette. She was conveniently missing whenever Ladybug stepped onto the field.

"It's Marionette." He said, looking to Plagg who was curled up pretending to sleep. The kwami opened one eye at the mention of the girl's name, then closed it before grinning like the Cheshire cat.


End file.
